Head motion for looms



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,156

y w c. L., HUssr-:Y ET AL HEAD Menon Foa Looms Filed sept. 1o, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 lllllllllllllllllf JHHIIF lMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIWIIM Mvkfw I @67:1 l@ (L Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,156

. C. L. HUSSEY ETI' AL HEAD MOTION FOR Looms Filed Sept. 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 30 1a E" i l 45 41 W'" 1' y f5 40 A i|||" E70 6 #I 43 l 4E V11., 7

A b' Q f: @y III..

if?? C'feszef L. bf/sgy Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED -sra'rss` PATEN'T GFFICE.

onnsrnn L. Hussey, or oYsrnR BAY, YORK, Arm ,wirLLIAivr` s'rnnmns, or' nonwron, oonnnorcufr, Assroivons'ro a. Je. Mazarin COMPANY, or NoRwIoH,

CONNECTUUT, A CRPORATON OF DE'LAVARE.

nnen Morronron Looms.

Application filed September 10, 1927. 'Serial No. 218,759'.

This invent-ion relates to ahead motion `for looms and particularly to certain improvements in a head motion ofthe type in which vibrator gears are mounted for selective engagement with either one of two segmental cylinder gears, this type of head motion being commercially known asa Knowles head.7

' The application is a continuation in part,

oil: our prior application, Serial No. 70,123, tiled by us on November 19,-1925 In the operation of aloom, it is frequently desirable or necessary to `turn the loom bacle ward, especially in' order to permit ay pickont oit weft threadsafter a defect in weaving has occurred. lt is also desirable, `particularly in heavy looms, that the mechanism be so constructed that the loom may be turned backward by power. This operation has not previously been possible'in loo-ms equipped with the Knowles head`,as the gearcenters in the Knowles head wereplaced too far ont of alignment to permit proper tooth clearance when'the vibrator gears were reversed. A head motion oi the usual 'form is shown in patent to Hutchins, No. lo, issued June leiser lr the'direction of rotation of the cylinder gears be reversed `in a Knowles head, such as is shown in said patent, the teeth of the vibrator gears would lock with the teeth of the gears instead of meshing therewith,

cylinder device would thus become inoperaajnd the tive. l

lt is the object of our invention to provid@ construction in a Knowles head which may ne c riven in either direction and which will be operable when driven either forward or ha hws-rrd. f Vllo this end, we preferably arrange. the gear centers more nearly in direct or inl approximate alignment than nsual, and we also Iallow increased clearance between the gears.` lil/e further provide anintermediate neutral positioni'or the vibrator gears, in which position they are out oi engagement with both of the cylinder gears. ,Vile also provide a special pattern chain `effect-ive to move the vibrator gears to upper, lower, or Vintermediate positions as desired.

further object of'our invention is to provide Vmeans :for stopping each vibrator gear in certain definite angularpositions, by which subsequent operative engagement of said vibrator `gear vbythe alternate cylinder gear will be insured and as a-resultof which eX- treme accuracy intiming will be rendered less essential. f

Our invention further relates to arrangements Vand combinations of parts `which will be hereinafter described and -more particu-r larly pointed out in theappended claims. f i

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which o i Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a loom e1n bodyingour improvements g 1 Fig. 2 is an enlargedfrontelevation of the head motion, with the front portion of ythe head motion frameremoved; i 'f c Figs. 8 to 6 are diagrammatic views, showing diiferent'succcssive positions of theivibrator gears and cylinders; Figur?` is aview of certain parts, similar to Fig. 2, but in a different operative position ;`y Fig. 8 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 2 g, f

. Fig. 9 is an` enlarged front elevation of a portion ofl the pattern chain; v 4

Fig. lO'is a plan view of the parts shown` in Fig. 9.v i n i :y

" lReferring to the drawings, we have shown alooni hfwing` afi-ame 10,`harnesses 11 `and a driving shaft 12 connected by gears 13, 14,

,l5 and 16 to an electric motor'17 controlled by'a reversing switch 18. Theswitch `18 is provided 'with an arm 19 connected by a link 2O and bell crank 21 to a rod 22 by which the operation of the loom may beconveniently controlled'or reversed. The harnesses 11 are connected to the usual harnessj acls 25, which in turn are connected by linksl to the vi.- brator gears 27.

The gears 27 levers 28y and are positioned between upper and lower segmental actuator cylinder gears 30 and 31.v These gears 30 and 3 1 are continuously rotated from the drivingshaft 12 through gears 32 and 33, bevel gears 34 and and an upright shaft 36 suitablywcon# nected` by gears not yshown, tothe cylinder gears 30 and 31. i, f 1

All of the parts'thus ardescribed are sub-y stantially of the usual construetionexcept that the centers ofthe vibrator gears 27 and are mountedv on vibrator cylinder gears and 31 are not the same as usual and that increased clearance is provided between the vibrator gears and the cylinder gears. This clearance is suiiicient to permit the vibrator gears to occupy an intermediate neutral position in which these gears are out otl the path ot engagementwitli either the up per or they lower cylinder gears. `Vibrator' gears are somewhat different trom those ordinarily employed as regards the lengths of the blank spaces. ,e

The vibrator levers 28 are shown Aas provided with gear teeth ,40 engaged by corresponding teeth All on the ends of pattern levers l2 eachy having a roll lthereon for engagement by the links oit a pattern chain 44. It will be understood that a separate lever Ll2 and a separate series of links on the pattern chain are provided for each vibrator lever Q8. While we have shown a lever l2 for each vibrator, yet we do not wish to be limited to this construction as other means, may be provided to raise said vibrator levers.

tor levers 28 are'provided with additional teeth L.l5 which are positioned for engagement by a latch or bar LlG-mcnuited on a bell crank tand actuated by a cam Ll-Srotatable with the lower cylinder gear 3l. Y

The pattern chain 44C igs. 9 and l0) is preferably formed of a series yof links 50, 51 and 52 corresponding to the upper, lower and intermediate positions of the vibrator gears 27. Additional connecting ylinks 53, 5e, and 55 are provided for guiding the rolls iti from one to another of the links 50, 5l or 52.

In the usual Knowles zhead, .the-vibrator lever can' assume two positions only, that is, it

must be either up or down. The gear mounted onA each lever is provided with diainetrr cally opposite blank spaces one of'which is longer than the other to permit the vibrator gear to remain adjacent a cylinder gear without meshing therewith. llhis wide blank space makes it impossible to get enough teeth on the gear toenable the latter to be` driven positively a' complete haltI turn in bothA directions.

' lVe are able to make our vibrator geary with equal narrow blanks, because oi" the intermediate position and we thus get enough teeth to turn the gear positively through more than 1800 in either direction; This construction ot' the gearsis shown in Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive.

iin important feature of our invention lies in the proportioning of the slot 27 in each vibrator gear 27, so that the gear will be stopped by the vibrator lever stud 28a in the position shown in Fig. 3 or in' the posit-ion shown in Fig. 6, according tothe direction ot' rotation. In each case, the contact tace ot the tooth to be neXt engaged lies inthe path ofthe leading tooth on the yactuator cylinder gears. The' eilective length of slot 27 is substantially equal to 180o plus the arcuate vibrator gears shown in Figs. Sto G inelusive. ln Fig. 3, the vibrator gear 27 is about to be engaged and rotatedby the lower cylinder gear 3l. ln Fig. l, the rotation'o'l the gear thereby is just ended. In Fig. 5, the vibrator gear 2T has been moved to intermediate or neutral position and in'Fig. 6 the gear 27 has been raised and is about to be engaged by t ie upper cylinder gearoO. Fig.y 2 shows the neutral position preceding the operative relation of Fig. 3 and Fig. 7 shows additional parts but otherwise corresponds to Fig. 5. The extreme upper and outer ends or" vibra#v To accomplish the proper n'iovementof the vibrator 0ear we make the pattern chain connecting links 53, 5&1-, and 55 with cam surfaces so designed that they ywill raise the vibrator gear to permit the advancing actuating yor cylinder teeth to engage the gear teeth and turn the gear an angle in excess of 1800.

Reference to Fig; 9 will show that the cam surfaces of the links 58, 54 and 55 are concave so that the lifting movement caused thereby will be relatively slow at the start and relatively rapid at the end ot the movement.

lAnother feature of our invention relates to thepivotalpoint tor the vibrator lever 28 and theconnectioii between the connectors 26 and the harness jacks 25. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that gudgeon 56 is located on an extension of the j ack anc is below the pin 57 on which the vibrators are mounted. By re- 'terrine' to FiO. 7 where the )arts are shown in the opposite position, it will beseenthat the gudgeon 5G has been moved to ra position above the pin 57. This action is diie to the tact that the gudgeon 56 is always to the left `of a vertical line passing through the axis of the acks 25. lt will be seen that thepivotal connection 58 between the connector and gear is below a linejoining thefakis of the gears and the pin 5'? in all positions ot the vibrator gear Q7. kThe ei'iectiveness ot the locking ot the connector depends upon the distance the connection 58 lies kbelow a line joining thek gudgeon r5G and the axis ot the gear 27. Willen the'parts change from the position shown in to that shown in Fig. 7 this distance rwould be too small unless gudgeon 56 were raisedas the connection 58 passes to the other side oie the airis of the vibrator gear 27. By having gudgeon 56 always on the same side of a vertical linepassing through theaXis of the jacks Q5, it will be seen that the gudgeon 56 rises so that when pivot 58 1s in ion low a line oining the gudgeon 5,6 and vibrator gear center.

An important feature ot the invention re-r lates to the location of the vibrator gear centers with respect to the centers ot" the actuating cylinders. As previously state-d the usual Knowles head is constructed with the vibrator gear odset considerably from av line joining the centers of the actuator cylinder gears. ll the vibrator gears shown herein were mounted on slides moving in guides parallel to a line joining the centers ot the actuator cylinders 3() and 3l the centers could advantageously be so located that the pivot of the vibrator gears and the centers of the cylinders 30 and 3l would all be iii a plane. The vibrator gea-rs, however, are mounted on levers which move pivotally about a *center comparatively close to theA actuator cylinder gears, and because otthis tact the desired clearances between vthe cylinder gears and the vibrator gears are ,not obtained when the centers are in alignment. It is `for the purs pose ot'securing proper clearances vthat the vibrator gear center is placed to that side of the line joining the centers ot the cylinder gears which ,is opposite the pivotal center of the vibrator gear.

Having thus described the preferred construction of our improved head motion, the operation thereot will beV easily apparent. lVlie-n a pattern lever roll 48 rests upon one of the low links 5l, the corresponding vibrator gear 27 will be engaged and rotated by the lower cylinder gear 3l. Il a roll 43 is supported by one of the high links 50, theVV corresigionding gear 27 will be engaged and rotated by the upper cylinder' gear 30.

`jitter each operative inove'ineiitby either the upper or the lower'cylinder gear, the vibrator gear is moved immediately to intor- `mediate or neutral position, be'lo're the driving teeth of the cylinder gear can again ven-` gage the vibrator. It is not necessary that the vibrator remain in intermediate position,

as it can move from high. to low position, as suggested at the lett hand end of Fig. 9.

It' it is desired to leave a harnessv jack in the same position tor two picks, the pattern chain is designedto supportthe correspond-` ing roll 4 3 on one ot the intermediate links 52, which will hold the corresponding vibrator gear out of engagement with either the upper' 'or lower cylindervgears and will thus retain the corresponding harness jack in unchanged position. Successive links 52 may be used to prolong thedwell of the jack until the pattern chain raises or lowers the roll a3. i i

By thus moving the vibratorgears from inoperative to operative position in timed relation to the rotation of the cylinder gears, and

by stoppingthe vibrator gear-sin the positions shown and described, weare able to gears for a given variation in the'heifght ot the chain links, but it will be understood that the use of these additional levers is optional and that othensuitable and well known arrangements of the connections between the,

pattern chain. and the vibrator levers may he used when desiredi Thilo the `head motion has been described in connection witlrhaivness jacks, it is also of utility in` the opera? tion 4of drop. box mechanism.

`Reference to Figs. l and 2 will show that thepattern chain'drive is different 'from that ordinarily employed on motions ot this type. The chain la is built up of the small flat links yshown in Figs-9 and l() and is trained over a sprocketcylinder somewhat larger than the usualchain cylinder and having twice the usual number of sprocket teeth. The cylinder 7.0 receives the same angular movement as` the usual corresponding part iii the Knowles head, that is, it moves one-sixthoi'.

a turn foreach pick of the loom, but during n this fractional movement twosuccessive links are moved under the roll l-S. 'l`helirstoic the pair of links corresponding to each pickf each revolution of sha/tt 36 gear 75 makes a.

sixth of al turn and two teeth of. cylinder sprocket 70 pass under roll wish to beI heldto the stated. ratio between shaft 36 and gear 75, but it is desirableto have the sprocket 7-Opresent`two chain links under the rollll for each pick ot the loom.

From theitoregoing it will be seen that we have provided a reversible head wherein the vibrator gearhasequal and diainetrically opposite'blank spaces soloisposed when the vi that a linoy io blank spaces will be lirator gear isv norm; ly lat rest joining tho centers oli tl oblique with respect to a line passing through the centers of the cylinder gears and it will furthermore vbe seen that when the vibrator gear is in one normal position the inclination ot these lines will be in one direction and when the vibrator gear is in the other` ot its normal positions the inclination will be in the opposite direction. The inclination may be equal for both positions but we do not wish to be held to this limitation as we lind in practice that a head will operate satisfactorily and be reversible if thecenters ot the vibrator gear and the cylindergeai's are such `that the ldlc do not too oue'or the other ot the cylinder gears( By 'I the use ot' the head shown herein it is unnecessary to have the reversing lrey shown in the patent to Hutchins :fi-490,890, Furthermore, he centers ot the vibrator' and actua-tor gears, while preferably not in exact alignment, are more nearly so than is thec'ase with the usual Knowles head. y

l/Vhile we have described our invention as applied to the controler harness movements, f

it will be evident that the invention may be utilized in exactly the same way in the control ot drop box movements where vibrator gears and levers are used and such use is within' the scope oify our invention.

Having thus described our invention and theadvaiitages thereof, we do not Wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set torthin the claims, but what we do claim is:

l. In a reversible head motion 'for looms, in

Y combination, a plurality of vibrator gears,

vupper andlower driving cylinder gears, the axes ot all ot said gears being .closely adya-V cent a single plane, and means to move a selected vibrator gearY from one cylinder to-r ward the other with amotion which is relatively slow at the start and relative rapid at the end, whereby less power is required to start the movement of saidvibrator l 2. ln a reversible head motion tor looms,

in `combination, a plurality ot vibrator gears, continuously moving upper and low 1r di'iving cylinder gears, vibrator levers, land pattern surface means reffective to hold said vibrator levers and gears in upper or lowery driving position orin intermediate neutral position, said gears'beina eiiectivelv engageable when rotating in either direction.

3. In a reversible head motion for looms, in combination, a. plurality ot vib 1ator gears, continuously moving upper and lower drivn ing cylinder gears, vibrator levers, means to more said vibrator levers and gears to upper or lower driving position or to intermediate neutral position, said gears eiigageable when rotating` in either direction, and means to locirsaid if'ibratoitlevers and gears either `i upper, lower or intermediate neutral pos c g ln a reversible head motion `tor looms, in combination, a plurality ot vibrator gears., upper and lower driving cylinder gears, vi

being` elifectivelybrator levers, and means to move said vibrator levers and gears to upper or lower driving position or to intermediate neutral position, said gea-rs being eiectively engageable when i'otatingin either direction, and' said lever moving means including 'a pattern chain having high, low and interinedizfite links.

5. A reversible `head motion ttor looms comprising vibrator gears, and upper and lower c riving cylinder gears, the `axes ot all ot said gears being located substantially in a single plane, and means to drive said cylinder gears in 'forward and rearward direc` tions. n n 6. A reversible head motion toi' looms comprising vibrator gears and upper and lower driving gearsA the aresot'all oi said (rr: la

a` motor to drive said cylinder gears in 'for ward and reaward directions. and a reversinfTv f Y y y D ciis O i being located substantiallyT in a. single plane,

old said vibrator levers and gears in upper f or lower driving position or in'intermediate neutral position, means to 'drive sai-d cylinder gears in forward and rearward directions, andineans to selectively engage said vibrator gearswith said cylinder gears when the latter are rotating in either 'forward 'or rearwarc direction.

' 8. A reversible head motion toi' looms cometliectively enga ble when rotating in either direction, said cylinder gears being spaced apart to provide an intermediate neutral position for saidvibrator Ygears in which posi-l vtion the paths of the outer ends ot the teeth ot said vibrator gears Vand said cylinder gears kdo not Contact at any point.

'9. A reversible fhead motion for looms comprising vibrator gears, continuously ii'ioving upper and lower driving cylinder gears, vibrator levers, and means to move said vibrator levers and gears to selectively engage said cylinder gears, said cylinder gears and vibrator gears being lequally operable and yeffective when said ycylinder gears are rotated in either direction.

"10. A reversible head motion ior `looms comprising vibrator gears, continuously moving upper andl loier driving cylinder gears, vibrator levers and means to nieve said vibrator levers and gears to upper and lewe" driving positions and to intermediate neutral position, each vibrator leear having a blank space representing a single tooth onl'v'at two diametrically opposite points on its periphery.

ino

1l. A reversible head motion for looms comprising vibrator gears, continuously moving upper and lower driving cylinder gears, vibrator levers, means to move said vibrator levers and gears to upper and lower driving positions and to intermediate neutral position, and means to stop each vibrator gear with the contact tace of the leading rtooth to be next engaged by a cylinder gear positioned substantially on the line joining they centers of said vibrator gear and said cylinder. l j l2. A reversible head motion for looms comprising vibrator gears, continuously moving upper and lower driving cylinder r said cylinder.

13. A reversible head motion for looms comprising vibrator gears, continuously moving upper and lower driving cylinder gears, vibrator levers, means to move said vibrator levers and gears to upper and lower driving positions and to intermediate neutral position, and means to stop each vibrator gear with the contact tace oit the leading tooth to be next engaged by a cylinder gear positioned substantially on the line joining the centers ot said vibrator gear and said cylinder, and having the corresponding leading tooth on the opposite side of t-he gear dia metrically spaced 'from said lirstanentioned tooth. Y Y

14. ln a reversible head motion for looms, a pair oi' oppositely roating segmental actuator cylinder gears, a `vibrator lever, a vi-.

brator gear rotatably mounted on the latter and havingian arcuate slot, a stop iiXed with respect to the lever andy extending into the slot, said vibrator gear having two diametrically opposite blank spaces oit' equal length,

- the eiiective length of fthe arcuate slot in the vibrator gear being .equal to 180C plus the arcuate length ot' one of the blank spaces of the vibrator gear, each end of the arcuate slot engaging the stop ony the vibrator lever to limit movement of the vibrator gear, and harness mechanism operatively related to the vibrator gear. s

l5. In a reversible head motion for looms, a pair of oppositely rotating segmental cylinderl gears, a vibrator lever, a vibrator rotatably mounted on the lever and having an arcuate slot formed therein, a stop secured to the vibrator lever and extending into the slot ot the vibrator gear to engage both ends of said arcuate slot, saidivibrator gearv'being formed with two sets' of teeth which are separated by; equal and diametrically opposite blank spaces, the effective length 'of the slot in the vibrator gear being equal substantially to the arcuate distance from one. end tooth ol one of th'e'group of teeth to the other end tooth of the saine group of teeth measured across both blank spaces.

16. In a reversible head motion for looms, a pair of oppositely `continuously rotating actuator segmentalcylinder gears, a vibrator lever, a vibrator gear rotatably mountedon the vibrator lever and located between the i cylinder gears, said vibrator gears having diametrically opposite blank spaces ot equal length, said vibrator gear assuming two noi'- mal different angular positions with respect to` a line joining the centers ot the cylinder gears, a line passing through the centers of the blank spaces on the vibrator gear being oblique with respect to the line joining the centers ot the cylinder gears when said vibra-tor gear is in either of its two normal positions, and harness connections opera` tively related to the vibrator gear.

17. In a reversible head motion for looms, a pair oit oppositely continuously rotating actuator segmental cylinder gears, a vibrator lever, a vibrator' gear rotatably mounted on the vibrator lever and located between the cylinder gears, said vibrator gears having diametrically opposite blankspaces of equal length said vibrator gear assuming two normal diiferent angular positions with respect to a line joining the centers of the cylinder gears, a line passing through the centers of the blank spaces on the vibrator gear being oblique with respect to the line joining the centers ot the cylinder gears when said vibrator gear is in either of its twonormal positions, the linepassing through the centers ot the blank spaces being oblique in one direction withrespect to the Ycenters of the cylinder gearsy when the vibrator gear is in one of the normal positions, and oblique j in the opposite direction with respect to the center of the vcylinder gears when the vibrator gear is in it-s other normal position of equal Obliquity, and harness connections operatively related to the vibrator gear.

18. ln a reversiblel head motion tor looms, a pair ot' oppositely continuously rotating mutilated actuator cylinder gears, a vibrator lever, a vibrator gear rotatably mounted on said lever and located between the actuator gears, means to give said vibrator lever and gear three positions with respect to the actuator gears, one wherein the vibrator gear will mesh with the lower actuator gear,and

another wherein said vibrator gear will be out ot mesh wit-h both' of said actuator gears, the vibrator gears having two diametri'cally opposite blank spaces ofequal, extent, one blank space lying to one side of a vertical lun HUA

line passing through the axis of a Vibrator 'gear and the other blank space' lying to the other side y of Such a Vertical line passing through the-axis of the Vibrator gear when the Vibrator gear is in normal position, sai'fl Vibrator gear being `pivotecl to the vibrator 'lever at a point slightly beyondvan imaginary line passing through the centers oit the actuator gears and saiclpivot for the vibra-tor gear'being so located that the imaginary` line passes between said pivotand the center-about 'Which the vibrator gear moves.

19. In a reversible hea-Cl motion Ior looms, afpalr of oppositely'A continuously rotatmg actuator segmental cylinder gears'a vibrator lever, a Vibrator gear rotatably mounted on the Vibrator lever and located between the eylinder gears, said Vibrator gear havingy chametrieallyopposite blank Jtooth spaces of equal length, means to stop saclqvbrator gear in either'oneo'f two normal positions of rest, in each of whichr positions a line passing through the centers of the blank 

